The Risks of Brand Activism with Professor Tyler Milfeld

When brands try to stand out through purpose or activism, they often stumble into controversy. So what's driving these missteps? And how should brands respond when backlash strikes?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Professor Tyler Milfeld from Villanova School of Business to discuss the hidden risks of brand activism and repositioning. Tyler unpacks why high-profile rebrands fail, when purpose messaging actually works, and how brands should respond when they face backlash. Plus, learn why doing nothing might be better than apologizing.

Topics covered:

• [04:00] Why most repositioning efforts fail
• [09:00] The credibility gap in brand purpose
• [12:00] When pro-social brands don't benefit from purpose ads
• [18:00] How brand power changes the rules for activism
• [21:00] The worst response to brand activism backlash
• [29:00] Why great insights matter more than shiny objects
• [32:00] Marketing communication needs more fun

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.


Resources:
2025 MediaPost Article:https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/411321/what-drives-brand-repositioning-and-why-do-these.html

Villanova University Page: https://www1.villanova.edu/university/business/faculty-and-research/faculty-by-department/biodetail.html?mail=[e-mail]&xsl=bio_long

Tyler Milfeld’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-milfeld/


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